By Marlene R. Buchanan
SNELLVILLE, Ga. | Time was when the lighting of the Great Tree at Rich’s in Atlanta was the beginning of all things holiday. Most everyone went downtown or watched the annual phenomena on television. Time magazine featured it on the cover of December, 1961. It was always an impressive event.
Buchanan
The tradition began in 1948. An Eastern White Pine, 70 feet to 90 feet tall, would be selected each year. The felling, transporting, and erecting at the tree to the top of eight stories was always a news item.
Once in place, the decorating would begin. Balls five feet in diameter would hang with huge ropes of garland and lights. The top star was 10 feet tall. The tree could be seen for miles. The tree shown like it was leading us to Bethlehem, or a holiday shopping nirvana.
Parents and children would flock to Rich’s walk through Santa’s Workshop on the way to visit with the great man. Children toured “Santa’s Secret Shop” which was off-limits to the adults. The “Spirit of Christmas” started at the street level with animated window displays of dancers, trains, and angels playing violins. It was magical.
Santa’s roof-top home housed eight reindeer. A miniature suspended monorail, called Priscilla the Pink Pig, “flew” from the ceiling of the toy department, outside to the Christmas village surrounding the Great Tree.
On Thanksgiving evening, crowds would start to assemble in the street, awaiting the lighting. Four floors of the Crystal Bridge would gleam with eight local choirs, decked in robes and singing with their best voices. Christmas carols could be heard from the bridge. A local celebrity would read the Christmas Story as anticipation of the moment built.
Suddenly, all was still. All was silent. Someone threw the switch. The big crowd in the street and people in their homes throughout the state through their TVs would let out a giant “OOOOOHHHHH–AAAAHHHH.”
It was inspiring. The dark sky lit up as the Great Tree showered us all in magnificence of the Christmas season.
Alas, neither Rich’s nor The Great Tree exists anymore. Several moves to other locations for a community lighting were tried. It was never the same. Now the “Great Tree” is a much smaller artificial one. It has lost its greatness. Somehow for those of us of a certain age, this cannot compare to the memorable excitement of an earlier season’s start. Anyone can put up a tree and put glittering balls and lights on it. Only at Rich’s was a 70 to 90 foot beacon of the season.
Stores no longer decorate for the holidays as they once did. It isn’t as exciting to visit the many malls and see their holiday beauty.
But no matter the décor, let’s welcome the holiday season. We have so much for which to be grateful. We all can get lost in the demands of the season.
Take a minute. Make a gratitude list. List everything from the smallest to the largest. Now this is the hard part. Make a list of those people you need to forgive. Oh yeah, include yourself. Be grateful and be gracious to yourself and others.
I am grateful I saw and now remember with fondness Rich’s Great Tree. That wonderful childhood memory brings a glow to my heart. I wish we could share one of the Great Tree lightings once more.
(Rich’s Department Store opened in 1867 and dominated retail activity in Atlanta until March 6, 2005 when the nameplate was eliminated and replaced by Macy’s.)
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